Filling machine



May 12, 1953 Filed June l5 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTOR. @5f/P7 M/ 64,9795?? u Il. 1Il

al@ UN Mmm in W Nfl u ,l "n @h mail IN V EN TUR. P05597 /4/ 5MP/P577 Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED, oFFxct Robert W. Garrett, Scandale, N. Y., assignor t0. Garrett t4 Company, lne.,- Bmoll-yn, Y., a Qcllwraion of New. York Application Jane 1.5, 194m, SerialNa sans 8 Claims. l

This invention relates to apparatus for filling bottles and other containers, and has particular reference toa machine for automa-tically lling respective groups ofcontainers with different fluent materials, such as liquids.

In the marketing of wi, es, it is coinrnon practice to pack ,bottles of diifgerent Wines in different Cartons and also to pask bottles Containing dei ferent wines in the same carton. Inasmucli as these Plais r'qlll fllflng @n @Xsv mlm' ber of'bottles of the same Wine with presentfday filling equipment;v before charging the equipment with a different wine, or alternatively, increasing, the number of filling machines. Se that tech, afi

several machines iill hottles'with a Quieren-twine, thas either norntely increasing thenvsntcry 0f filled bottles Containing' a ,Single wille, 0.1. in'- creasing the number of iii-ling units and' conse',- quent space requirements'. i

In accordance with the presentA iriventigii,'e`l single iilling machine is provided for iillijn re- Sretive groups Of Containers Wiih'differeat rimes, whereby e predetermined @meer 0f. bsttles., six, are filled with one kind of Wine, another'g'roup of six bottles with a different kind oiy Wine', S0 011 for 21S maar Such .groups es the mahl g is supplied with different Wines, say four. In tl'isj Way, and adapting the invention to conventional rotary' llins machins the ,firs-t' greep ef Sixiboti'es fed to; the rotary' carrieres Willbe 'led: with one Wine,y say sherry, the'secuntigroup*ofA six hottiesy with another Wine, say-port, the'tlii'rd group of six bottles with a third Wine, say sauterne, and so on, all from the same rotary filling machine. In a preferred embodiment of the invention;l the rotating filling machine head, which mally contains the liquid to be filled-'into the bottles, is provided with segmental dii'erent come partrnents, each containing a dilerent`l Wine which is continuouslyv suppliedy to that cornpart'-, ment from a separate source, notwithsi'andine:l that the head of the machine rotates While-peiforming its bottle-filling function;

Morespecically, for a vacuurntype of Ailing machine, the lower portion of the rotating head is subdivided by vertical partitions in-to'` fourv ci more compartments, each of which is supplied through a corresponding, port in a horizontal partition from an equal number oliconce annular Compartmmsj which in @um 31T? 1f QW??? tively supplied with the particular Wines or other beyerage lOm stafton'y umg @m85 Idmg 159 the Corresp-Ondine annuler fiome'eriments The' vacuum is maintained'by a's'tatio'nary suction .f for filling di It will he seen that the presen-t invention af-` iords avery simplehut eiiective way of 'filling plural groups of bottles With dilerent liquids from the saine illi'ng machine, thereby sinipliiying the operation', Yelin'nnati-ng the necessity of maintaining a lar'geinvntoify offlled bottles pending Ya changeto adirent liquid, and also reducing 'the n lber of equipment units required n ventliquids'f f For a incre-complete understanding of the invention, ref-erenoernaybehad to the accompanying drawings, which:

Figureflf is avertical section through a vacuuni i type fill-ing' machine. embodying the inventiomas Fig. 2v is af tra sverse section through the filling machneof Figi. ls'eerilalong-the lineZ--Z thereof;- f

Fig. Sis another transverse section through the nl li-ng machinel of' Fig. Vl as *see'n along the line 3 3-thero-i-anu Fig. 4 is a'verticai sectionA through a modicatienv of the machine-'of Fig.v '1, WhereiI-iv4 the filflrle; isperformed by gravity- A' lfteferringftol Eigflfll of thev drawings, numeral lil'r` designates "the stationary hase ofu a conventional ferm ofvac'uum type hottle filling machinel having as-tationary- -cain track l!" on which roll i3? vguided iii-suitable sieeves within arotatingl carriage ifiir ana' having thev .bottle supports i5 Mounted on hollowstandard it rotating with the carriage I4 is "the head, generally designated u, fam, niet depend the nung internen# municating with the 'interior ofthe head l'i and carrying lthe sliding cells LIt and the coil springs 2li" against whichvthe bottles B"'arefraised icy/the battle- .Seaperis 'i Eie'ihe levaiee 0f the bqttles' spells e Suit ble valve i! or ,Separate means are @revised fb? 'that purpose" iQ permit" ti'eiitwv df th iiquis 'from the naady n; into each bottle B in the manner illustrated at the right of Fig. 1. All parts of the machine thus far described are conventional and details thereof form no part of the present invention.

Instead of supplying a single liquid as in conventional machines, head Il is divided horizontally by a partition 23 into two chambers, one upper chamber 22, and a lower chamber 25, as shown in Fig. l. The interior of lower chamber is provided with partitions 24 which may be four in number so as to ydivide it into four segmental compartments 25a, 25h, 25e and 25d, preferably all of the same cubical content as shown particularly in Fig. 3. The partitions 24 extend from the interior wall of the lower chamber 25 to the outer surface of the column IE which, in the form of machine shown in Fig. 1, also extends upwardly through the upper chamber 22 as shown in Fig. 2.

The upper chamber 22 is subdivided by concentric partitions 28 into annular chambers, equal in number to the segmental compartments 25a-25d within lower chamber 25. Accordingly, since there are four compartments 25a-25d Within lower chamber 25, three partitions 26 are employed to divide the upper chamber 22 into four annular compartments 21a, 2lb, 21e and 21d, preferably each having the same cubical content, thus requiring the space between the inner partition 26 and column I6 to be wider than its spacing with the next outer partition 26, and so on, until the spacing between the outer partition 26 and the wall of upper chamber 22 is relatively narrow.

Each upper annular chamber compartment 21a-21d communicates with one of the lower segmental compartments 25a-25d through a corresponding opening 28a-2 8d in the horizontal partition 23, as is shown especially in Fig. 2. Thus, opening 28a in horizontal partition 23 connects outer concentric compartment 21a with lower segmental compartment 25a; opening 28h connects annular compartment 2lb with lower compartment 25h; opening 28e connects upper annular compartment 21e with lower chamber 25e, and opening 28d connects upper annular compartment 21d with lower compartment 25d.

Leading upwardly through the hollow column I6 from four separate liquid sources, a, b, c and d,

are corresponding stationary pipes 29a, 29D, 29e

and 29d. Pipe 29a as it emerges from the upper end of column I6 of the space 30 under the sealed hood 3|, turns horizontally and discharges liquid from source a into the outer annular compartment 21a as shown particularly in Fig. 2. Similarly, pipe 29h discharges liquid from source b into annular compartment 2lb; pipe 29e discharges liquid from source c into annular compartment 21C, and pipe 29d discharges liquid from source d into annular compartment 21d.

The liquids from the respective sources, a, b, c and d are supplied under suiiicient pressure to raise them to the point of discharge into the corresponding annular chambers 2'Ia to 21d by means of suitable pumps, not shown. Accordingly, as the machine discharges the several liquids into successive groups of the bottles B, the sup-ply is continuously replenished from the respective sources a, b, c and d 'by the corresponding supply pipes 29a to 29d.

The machine shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, is the so-called vacuum type in which a vacuum is maintained within the liquid supply chamber, in this case, chambers 25 and 22. To that end, a stationary suction tube 32 also extends upwardly through column I6 into the hood space 30 for creating the vacuum required for operation of this type of machine. It will be understood that the compartments,25 and 22 are air-tight and that hood 3l is sealed air-tightly to the latter.

In operation of the lling machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the empty bottles B are fed by a suitable inieed conveying system to the individual bottle supports I5 of which there may be twenty-four arranged circularly on carriage Ill as indicated especially in Fig. 3. Thus, six bottles are placed immediately beneath each of the compartments 25a, to 25d for filling with the liquid contents of the respective compartments 25a to 25d. As the machine rotates, the successive bottles B are raised by cam II to insert the corresponding lling tubes I8 into the bottles B and the valves 2I are opened to iill the corresponding bottles B, six bottles will be filled with the liquid contained in compartment 25a, say sherry wine; the next six bottles will be iilled with the liquid contained in compartment 25D, say port wine; the next six bottles will be filled from compartment 25e, with say sauterne wine, and the last six will be lled from compartment 25d, say with Burgundy Wine. Suitable guiding means in the outfeed conveyers may be employed to divide the groups of bottles containing the dierent beverages, or they may be hand-segregated, depending upon requirements.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the same arrangement described in connection with the Vacuum type of lling machine of Fig. l may be here provided for the gravity filling machine, except that the four liquid supply pipes 33a, 33o, 33C and 33d extend through a stationary cover 3d which is sealed over the edge of the rotating head I1 by means of a slip seal 35 which permits the relative rotative movement betwen the head Il and the cover 34. The liquid supply pipes 33a to 33d supply respective annular compartments 36a, 3627, 38e and 36d of upper compartment 22 with different liquids and these annular compartments communicate with corresponding segmental compartments in the lower portion of chamber 25 in the same manner as was described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. The arrangement of the lling tubes I8" and their corresponding valves ZI of Fig. 4 are the same as shown in Fig. 3, the only difference being that the filling operation in Fig. 4 is effected by gravity in a conventional way.'

Although the apparatus of this invention is particularly adapted to the filling of diiierent liquids into containers, it is understood that the invention is equally adaptable to filling con- Atainers with other fluent materials in the same way. Also, although certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been .illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, but is susceptible of changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a container lling machine, the combination of a revolving container carriage, a revolving lling head positioned above said container carriage, means forming a chamber in said head, partitions dividing said chamberforming means into a plurality of filling compartments, container filling means leading from each of said compartments for lling an equal number of corresponding containers on said carriage, and separate sources of supply of different fluent lling materials leading severally to K the respective compartments in said head.

ing container carriage,

2. In a container lling machine having a re- V volving filling head positioned above a revolving container carriage, the combination of a means forming a chamber in said head, partitions dividing said chamber-ioi'ming means into a plurality of iilling compartments, container filling means leading from each of said compartments for filling corresponding containers on said carriage, a separate supply compartment on said head for each filling compartment and communieating severally therewith, and separate sources of supply of different fluent filling materials leading severally to the respective supply compartments in said head,

3. In a container lling machine having a revolving filling head positioned above a revolvingr container carriage, the combination ol a means forming a chamber in said head, partitions dividing said chamber-forming means into a plurality of lling compartments, container iilling l means leading from each of said compartments for filling corresponding containers on said carriage, second chamber-forming means on said head above said iirst chamber-forming means, partitions dividing said second chamber-forming means into a plurality of supply compartments corresponding in number to said iilling compartments, means severally connecting corresponding supply and filling compartments, and

separate sources of supply of the filling material leading to the several supply compartments in said head.

4. In a container filling machine having a revolving filling head positioned above a revolvthe combination of a means forming a chamber in said head, radial partitions dividing said chamber-forming means into a plurality of segmental filling compartments, container filling means leading from each of said compartments for iilling corresponding containers on said carriage, second chamberforming means on said head above said first Ichamber-iorn'iing means, concentric partitions dividing said second chamber-forming means into a plurality of annular supply compartments corresponding in number to said filling compartments, means severally connecting corresponding supply and filling compartments, and separate sources of supply oi' the filling material leading to the several supply compartments in said head.

5. In a container iilling machine having a revolving filling head positioned above a revolving container carriage, the combination of a means forming a chamber in said head, lpartitions dividing said chamber-forming means into a plurality oi filling compartments, container lling means leading from each oi said compartments for lling corresponding containers on said carriage, second chamber-forming means on said head above said iirst chamber-forming means, concentric partitions dividing said second chamber-forming means into a plurality of annular supply compartments corresponding in number to said filling compartments, means severally connecting corresponding supply and filling compartments, separate sources oi supply of the lling material, a stationary conduit connected to each said source and leading to a corresponding annular supply compartment in said head.

6. In a container filling machine having a revolving filling head positioned above a revolving container carriage, the combination of a means forming a chamber in said head, partitions dividing said chamber-forming means into a plurality oi filling compartments, container iilling means leading from each oi said compartments for filling corresponding containers on said carriage, second chamber-forming means on said head above said first chamber-forming means, concentric partitions dividing said second chamber-forming means into a plurality of annular supply compartments corresponding in number to said filling compartments, means severally connecting corresponding supply and filling compartments, separate sources of supply of the filling material, a stationary conduit connecting each said source and leading to a corresponding annular compartment in said head, and a central tube rotating with said carriage and head and through which said conduits extend upwardly.

7. In a container filling machine having a revolving filling head positioned above a revolving container carriage, the combination of a means forming a chamber in said head, partitions dividing said chamber-forming means into va plurality of lling compartments, container iilling means leading from e-ach of said compartments for filling corresponding containers on said carriage, second chamber-forming means on said head above said first chamber-forming means, concentric partitions dividing said second chamber-forming means into a plurality of annular supply compartments corresponding in number to said lling compartments, means severally connecting corresponding supply and filling `compartments, separate sources of supply of the filling material, a stationary conduit connecting each said source and leading to a corresponding annular compartment in said head, and a stationary cover for said rotating second chamber-forming means and through which said conduits extend downwardly.

8. In a container filling machine having a revolving iilling head positioned above a revolving container carriage, the combination of a means forming a chamber in said head, partitions dividing said chamber-forming means into a plurality of filling compartments, container lling means leading from each of said compartments for lling corresponding containers on said carrage, second chamber-forming means on said head above said first chamber-forming means, concentric partitions dividing said second chamber-forming means into a plurality of yannular supply compartments corresponding in number to said filling compartments, means severally connecting corresponding `supply and lling compartments, separate sources of supply of the filling material, a stationary conduit connecting each said source and leading to a corresponding annular compartment in said head, a stationary cover for said rotating second chamber-forming means and through which said conduits extend downwardly, and means sealing the joint between said cover and said rotating chamber-forming means.

ROBERT W. GARRETT.

References Cited in the -ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 482,893 Clausa et al Sept, 20, 1892 830,543 Trump et al Sept. 11, 1906 1,442,405 Hawthorne Jan. 16, 1923 1,770,470 Hartmann July 15, 1930 1,850,425 Taylor Mar. 22, 1932 

